Warp-thread-selecting device.



M. F. FIEL-D. WARP THREAD SELECTING DEVICE- nyucmou men JAN. 20. 1916.

I nvenior:

Patented Oct. 22,1918 3 SHEETSSHEET\ v M. F. FIELD. WARP THREAD SELECTING DEV1CE.

Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

aid J Inventor.- Mi uwrd RE APPLICATION HLED JAN. 20. l9-I6.

'MIF. FIELD; v WARP THREAD SELECTING DEVICE.

Pawnte Oct. 22, 1918.

a susnsauin a.

flags;

I Japan/for; Millard F1590 1d,

APPLlCA TIQll FILED JAN. '20. 1916,

mameses,

50 2 "upon an enlarged scale, of the warp holding U D ATE? MILLARD r.

PATENT OFFICE, I

FIELD, or wmrnnor, mnssnpnusnrrs, nssxenon TO AMERICAN wnnr m'mwme MACHINE conrnnmn conronn rzoivor MAINE.

'wAnr-rnnnAn-smncrmc nnvrcn;

To all whom it may concerni Be it known that I, MILLARD F. FIELD, a

I citizen of the United States, and a resident No. 755,861, March 29, 1904.

ing devices such, or examp of Winthrop, county ,of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, (whose post ofiice address is 195F1'eeport street, Dorche'ster, Massachusetts,) have invented an Improvement in W arpsThread-selecting Devices, of which the following descri tion, in connection with the accompanying senting like parts. v

This 'nvention relates to devices' for selecting warp threads whereby threads may be ,in a warp drawing machine of a well known type, but ithas application to machines for acting upon warp threads other than drawing in machines, aswell asto. warp drawing -machines 0f widely different construction from that herein shown.

The present application is a continuation in' part oi'my prior copending application Serial'No. 680,335, filed May 11, 1898; since issued as Patent No. 1,171,388, Feb. 8, 1916;

inpart of my prior copending application Serial .No. 684,201, filed June 23, 1898; and based in part on matter shown in my prior filedapplication Serial No. 675,100, filed March 25,1898, and since issued as Patent The invention will be best understood reference to the following description when .thereof; while its scope will be more taken in connection with the accompanying illustration of one specific embodiment articularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Inthe drawings;

.Figure 1; IS a vertical cross sectional view of a warp drawing" machine embodying one form of my inventlon;

Fig., 2 is a rear view of the same, certain .parts and portions of the machine being may;

.r'Fig. 3'1s an'elevation, partially in section,

and stretching mechanism, such section being taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. v2 from the right of that figure; 1

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of. the warp Specification or Letters fatcnt.

rawings, is a specifica-. tion, like characters on the drawings rcpre Patented Oct. 22 1918.

Application filed January'20, 1918. Serial No. 73,095.

thread selector, herein in the form of a screw together with its immediately connected'parts showing the course of the warp threads and the means by which they are acted upon'and controlled;

Fig. 5 illustrates a modified form of, a warp selecting and separating screw;

Fig. ,6 shows another modified form of screwselector; v Fig. 7 is a cross section of the screw shown ,m Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the selecting screw shown in Fig. 6 with a slightly difi'erent mounting from that shown in Fig. 4

Fig. 9 is another modified form of warp selecting screw;

.Fig. 10 1010 in Fig.

Fig. 11 is a ross section of another modified form of warp selecting screw; and Fig. 12 is a cross sectional view of a pair of clamping bars which may be used in connection with my invention. 1

Referring to the drawings and-to the embodiment (if the invention therein illustrated, 1 designates the frame of the machine which supports the tracks 22 upon which the carrmgefi travels. The carriage is given a step by step movement by a pawl 4, the -'lattc r being actuated from the cam anddrivis a cross section taken on the line V i'ng shaft 5 and moving the carriage through i the mediumof suitable gearing and a inlon 6 which meshes with a track forms on a bar 7 connected with. the frame. I The bars 88 of the harnessare supported upon suitable means in the frame, the har ness eyes being spaced and positionedby means indicated in Fig. 1 and fully described in Letters Patent No. 755,861, dated March 29, 1904, so'that they require no fur-. ther explanation herein. The reed 9 is loosely supported upon the frame of the machine and 10 is the hook 'or needle suitably supported and reciprocated by means intermediate of itself and the cam sha-ft5.

Referring now to the warp thread supports and the thread selecting mechanism,

the threads 11 extend upfrom the warp beam (not shown) and passbetween the clamp bars 12, thence partiallyaround a thread contacting and deflecting member 13 andthence between a pair of clamp bars'li. The latter preferably hold the ends of the warp threads frictionally but with ayielding tension and not so firmly as to, prevent threads from being drawn out from between the bars without danger of breaking them. The clamp bars 12 preferably hold the th eads with an unyielding tension so that the needle will .not draw them through those clamps. v i

To render .the clamp bars capable of per: forming the functions which I have justascribed to them, I preferably form one of the pairs of bars 12 with a rubberlined groove and the other with a rubber or rubber covered matching tongue. The bars 14 may be formed in the same manner, excepting that I substitute felt or its equivalent for the rubber. "In either case the tongue may be a substantial bar in itself s9 that the tongue and bar may be one piece", as shown at 14.

wrapped around the'shaft so that the sheet of threads lies in two planes forming an r acute angle with each other.

-. The thread selecting mechanism may b provided in a wide variety of constructions or forms, while still embodying the generic features of this invention, but herein the shaft 13 carries at one end (see Fig. 4) thread selecting and separatlng mechanism i'n'the formof a threaded cylindrical ortion 15' of enlarged diameter preceded y suitable devices for tensioning the threads and straightening, disentanghng and positioning the same preparatory to their selection the selectmg screw.

Preceding the-selecting devices on the shaft 13 there is provided means for gradually increasing the tension of the warp threads as theyapproach .the selecting position, such means herein consisting of the frustoconical and fluted. or corrugated The screw shaft 13 is mounted upon supis hereinshown as jou'rnaled at one end in a ment.

bearing-17, carried by a brackct 18 supported on the needle carriage. At itsopposite 'end'it is journaled in a p'art also on the needle carriage '(not herein shown but dis- March 29, 1904) sothat it moves with the needle carriage in its step-by-step move-" The shaflt is given an intermittent rotary moveinent in a suitable direction through intermediate means (also disclosed in Patent No. 755,861 but not herein shown)- connected with the shaft of a ratchet wheel 19 (Fig, 1) which is operated upon by a pawl 20, actuated through intermediate conlongitudinal pro ection or ribs intermediate the flutes. They then pass upon the'plain cylindrical part 21 of larger diameter, the rotary movement of which under the tensioned threads assists in straightening them with still greater certainty. There they are positioned one by one for the selecting-aetion by means of the raised shoulder 22" between the eylindrical part 21 and the thread ed part 15. The raised shoulder constitutes anabutting wallor. formation which isconstantly pressed against the edge of the sheet of warp threads and positions the foremost thread or threads for the action of .the' selector.

The selecting member is herein embodied in the fine wedge-shaped lip, point or edge 23 (see Fig. 5) which is formed between the shouldered portion 22 and the angular .cut which is produced where the helical groove of the threaded the shoulder. The separator shaft being given an intermittent rotary movement, the selecting lip or edge describes a path which,

in the rotation of the shaft, converges toports attached to the needle carriage 3, and

ward the sheet of warp threads at the back vthereof and gradually cuts across the plane of the threads. This path hearing as it does a definite and fixed relation to the abutting edge permits the selector to cut back of and select the foremost thread positioned by the abutting edge by what'may be termed a slicingliaction as distinct from the stabbing or icking action heretofore characteristic o I such selectors] Y It will be understood that the screw, its shaft, and all of the parts connected there with will be traversed or moved along 00- ordinately with the operation of the draw' ing-in mechanism, it being desirable that the portion: 15 breaks through warp threads should be ,fed to the. warp 1 spacing screw with exactness with respect to all of the conditions effecting or effectedbythe feed. And it is also to be noted that the portion relating to the feed of the warp closed in my Patent No. 755,861, dated thread will always be in position. to be caught by the threadof the screw whenever its inner selecting hp comes around.

Herein the maids are shown as wrapped about the shaft 13" sdas to have a hearing about the screw of abouU-Mie-half orlsome- What less than one-half of its cirduliiference,

butthe extent of this bearing may vary as but is conveyed by the rotary movement of that as the drawin this hook will cate the, threads and hold the screw to a position where it canbest be taken by the drawing-in needle. By prolonging the length of the groove, an appreciable interval of time is secured during which the screw holds the advancing, but selected and separated threads, under the observation of the operative subsequent to their Separation and prior to their beingacted upon bythe drawing-in needle. Such interval of time may be made to cover a number of successive actions of the selector so that the screw at all times holds pre liminaril selected and separated, and sub ject to t e constant inspection of the operative, a series of threads prior to their successive engagement by. the drawing-in hook. This enables the operative to check the inaccurate operation of the selector prior to the action of, the drawingdn hook.-

It is desirabl'e that the-warp threads as r ,they arrive at the shoulder 22 of the selecting screw 15 should be presented to thescrew' at the proper inclination or slope, as it is technically called, that is, inthis instance, at the properangle to the perpendicular face of the said shoulder22. On account of the varying distances between the several warp threads asthey are led up from the warp beam from the screw shaft 13, a frequent yariation in theslope of the threads is likely to occur. Thebest angle of slope for the. threads in relation to the shoulder 22 is that which corresponds to the slope ofthe threads of the screw 15. vIn order topresent each thread at" substantially this angle I provide a stop arm 24; upon the bracket 18, whic'lf arm projects over the series ofthreads and has a hooked end 25 which extends down and across the plane in which they lie so in operation proceeds them back to the point,atwhichthe hook is adjusted. This pointjshould be a little in advance of the plane ofthc shoulder 22 at a position which will give the thread next to be sele'ctedan anglefofslope from the inner surface of the hook 25 to the shoulder p 22 substantially the same as theslope of the thread of the screw 15. By thisImcansv-the engagement'of the threads by the selecting lip of the screw 15' will be more accurate .and there will be little likelihood of a thread completed or nearl once taken by the screw being pulled out of it because the slope of the war threads is too great in front of the shoul er 22, or a second thread snapping over the shoulder beciiuse the slope of the warp thread is too litt e.

"Each pair of clamp bars 12 and 14 is connected with a section of their carrying frame 26, in the described embodiment of the invention which is so hung or supported that it canmove to a limited extent withthe clamp bars on a line longitudinally of the latter. In the present case the frame 26 as a whole'is supported or hung from journal pins or rods 27 extending horizontally from each end of the frame, which pins run on rollers 28 journaled in a stationary part of the machine frame. v

A strap 29 connected at one end toth'e clamp bar supporting frame passes over a in Fig. 4 as fast as space is provided by the reciprocating needle drawing thewarp threads 11 from the hooked end of the arm 24. Consequently, the hooked end 25 of said arm 24 willhold the warp threads and their clamp bars back to exactly the line necessary to keep them frombeing" crowded. upon the screw too fast so that the selecting lip of the screw will not-take more than one thread at a ticle in its rgroove and yet keep the threads 7 fed upto an urged upon the screw with all the stress that is necessary to make sure that the screw will take at least one thread and advance it toward the needle at each rotation of the screw.

, The. warp being ordinarily oflesser width than the harness, the operation of the ma ehlne Wlll ordinarily start with the .warp

frame moved'to the right on it's supports as viewed. 1n Fig. 2. When the drawing in is completed, the said frame carrying the c amp bars .12 and 14 will have been moved. to the left. The extent of this movement will'compensate for the greater normal width of'jthe. warp' relatively to the width ofthe harnesses and reed, proylslon-being made at the same time for feedmg the war 5 toward'the feedscrcw with the necessary egree of urgency to enable the screw to take onc'threed with certainty at each ofits rotations. i

Iliav'e also provided a finger 32- 'which is adjustably connected with the arm 24 andjs of such formhnd construction that it may bear upon the warps which are being adattached to the vanoed by the feed 'screw 15 and some of those upon the cylindrical part 21 of the screw shaft, so as to keep the advanced warps from gathering in a bunch by theaction thereon of the angular end of the f'eeler 25 of the arm 24 and also to tend to stroke, as it "were, the warp threads down upon the screw and hold them in place. For the latter purpose also a finger 33 (Fig. 4) may be warps passing. up from the clamp 12 to press them inward toward the fed screw. The arm 24 and its adjuncts, as also the finger 33,

assist in the exactness of the functions of the.

screw.

The thread selecting mechanism herein shown may be employed independently of and separately from the automatic compensating feeding mechanism for the warpcarriage, and I do not herein claim the latter feature, the same being made the subject of claims in my aforesaid eopen'ding applica- I by the means herein shown, the arm .25, in

addition to fulfilling that function, serves 35' also as a ,feeler'finger to osition or locate the warp sunport as a who e, and thereby to control its compensating movement. Other and widely different methods of giving the automatic compensating feed'to the war threads may be employed, but, as this constitutes no part of the invention claimed herein, no further reference to them need be made.

The frusto-conical'part 16 of the feed screw is shown herein (Fig. 4) as fluted or corrugated. This is desirable, though not essential, to assist in stroking the increasingly tensioned threads into parallelism.

. Whenthe said frusto conical part is madefin comb or be slightly iiotched in order to as'- 'flutedform,

grooves maybe constructed as a substantial slst in combing out the crossings or tangles of the warp threads before they approach the. parts 21 and 15 The frusto-conical por- Y tion maybe constructed without-theicorruf g'ations and still serv'ethe sioning "the threads, although not with the.

to: v Figs. 5

, the .warpfseparatmgscrew such isnol' corrugated. I

.ltwill be understood that those warp sa1ne effectiveness as -when corrugated or provided with a thread stroking formation. and 8 illustrate a mo ificat'ion of tioned, in which the frusto conical part 16 head 18 and act upon thebest be broughtabout when ,adjusted to and from the frame section 35 frame section 34 a portion of the'outer edge of one ormore of-the partitions between thepurpose of ten-- as lastmen the screw shaft 13 of smaller diameter will be without substantial tension or under relatively less tension than those undergoing the selecting operation. When they pass up the frusto-conical part 16, however, the willbe gradually put under tension. unti they ass over on the cylindrical part 15, when t ey will become quite taut.

It is desirable that the tension on the warp threads should be even, and this can the length of the warp threads between the two pairs of clamping bars 12 and 14 is even. To secure this evenness in the length of the portion of warp threads in question, when a warp is put into the machine,'I may employ various means, but that herein shown consists of frame sections which support the clamping bars so that one bar may be other. The clamping bars 12 are connected with section 34 which is arranged so as to be adjusted up and down on the stationary b means of a pinion 36 on the shaft 37 a apted to be rotated by a hand wheel. 38 or other means onthe said shaft. The said pinion engages a rack 39 on the frame section 34.- The clamping bars 14 are supported on the fixed frame section 34.

The warp threads maybe engaged by the clamping bars when they are in'the dresser or slasher and they may be engagedso as to make the portions of the threads between the clamps of uniform length,-but tomake certain of this result,' when the warp is put into the drawing machine the clamping bars 12 should be adjusted so that the said portion ,of warp threads between the clamps will be substantially slack. Then by turning the hand wheel 38 in the proper direction the section 34 of the frame will be 'moveddown with the result of stretching the threads evenly between the two pairs of clamping-bars. When this is done the position by any suitable means; -As is herein represented the clamp 14 is supported on swinging" "arms 40fpivoted on a rod'41- supported in the framels'ection 35.

threads which pass around the portion of the frame may be secured in a fi i A spring 42' coiled around the said rod operatesupon the arm .40-to press it'downward with the clamping bar' 14/ until the stop 43011 the arm 40. comes to' contactwith ,th ste ary per 0 Ev thainw i w (ss Y J Figs- 1, 2 and} 3). Withthis construction the weight of the-bar 14 can be -made-to draw constantly upon the warp threads to assist. in keeping them under eventension,

and a rigid tension which .is undesirable will be'avoided.

Ashes been hereinbefore intimated, when the warp threads are, put and maintained.

under even'tensioh about the screw, assho'wn m f'l'erent parts of the clamp will be avoided.

in Fig. 4, and a constant relative feed of the Warp threads toward the screw is made to compensate for the undue distention of the series of warp threads, the latter canbe held or fed up in 'l'ine against the shoulder 22 of, the feed screw so as f to insure thetakmg up ofonc thread at eachrotation of the screw and at the same time the tln'eads will be heldback so as not to crowd upon the screw in such manner that there may be liability of thc screw catching two or more threads at a time.

The constantly increasing tension put upon the warp threads as they approach the screw part of the screw shaft tends to disentangle or straighten out crossed and otherwise disordered threads and also to put them in exactlyproper condition to be controlled and fed one by one to the screw.

The construction of the feed screw and its shaft, as described. relieves the machine from any unnecessary strain by the warp threads and does away with all strain upon the warps by the machine during the operation of drawing in except upon such of the threads as are being at the time operated .upon by the screw 15 and the parts of the machine influenced in its operation by those threads. p

\Vlnle the separating and selecting device is shown in its preferred form ln-Flg.

4, the cylii'idrical part 21 of the screw may i lie-entirely omitted or may be much shorter than shown in the drawing, and in fact maybe ofv suiiicient length to sup ort a single thread only imn'iediately besl e and against the shoulder 22 of the screw threaded portion.

Inthe construction of the clamp bars 12 and lit the grooves are made preferably relati ely narrow and deep and the tongue thin and wide to fit therein so that the threads willbe frictionally held between the sides of the groove and the sides of the tongue and so that the pinching of the threads between the bottom of thelon'gue' and the bottom of the groove or the draw- V 1 middle portion only and thus fn'oducmg uneven friction upon the warp threads at (lif- This is animportant discovery in clamps used invarp' drawing and analogous ma (;l|lIl(S., r

The linger ii lnin addition to bearing J against the warp threads which are being acted upon by. the feed screw described, also operates to hold on to each warp thread after it is drawn in, so that the thread may he more readily knocked out of the needle or book.

The portion of the thread thus temporav rily 'held back by the finger 33, however, in no wise interferes with the proper accom- [)llSllll'lllll of the drawing in operation, for, as soon as the drawing in and feeding mech-' anism. and 'with them the finger 33, have passedthe thread, it is released and may be drawn through the harness eyes and reed when desired; y H The purpose of holding the reed loosely in its bearing is to permit of its free, 1ongitu dinal movement and thus to adjust it with reference to the traverse of the drawing in.

device and so to eompensate'for any irregularitles 1n the d stance between the splits of The appropriate split-s of the reed are separated before the advance of the needleby a reed opening lever havin the Wedge shaped nose-which is adapte to enter between the splits of the reed and press them:

apart. The said lever being mounted upon a needle carriage, it also acts tit-the same time .to adjust or differentially feed the reed lengthwise in its bearings sufficiently to compensate forany longitudinal displace-- ment of the space between the reed splits from the line of needle movement The reed opening lever issecured to a rock shaft by a spring 49 and retracted at a suitable time'by the push rod 48. The effect ofthe construction and arrangementthereinshown is to given compensating feedand adjust ment to the reed in relationto the feed of the the'reed which may have occurred in itsconstruction, or from any other cause.

carriage which supports the drawing. in

needle, for it is rarely possible to gear the movement of the needle carriage so'that'the number of reciprocations of the needle will exactly correspond' to the number of splits per inch in the reed.

In Fig. 12 I have shown a forni-of-thread clamping bar holding the threads 11 under a yielding tension andadapted to "serve in place of the clam 14 shown in Fig. 4. The

, clamp shown in ig..12 comprises a l0ngitu-. wlinally grooved bar'50, and a cooperating bar 51, the latter having a sttrip 52 of felt eeinentcd in a groove formed 1n the face of the bar 51', so-that the projectingportion of the 'strip may fit in the groove of the bar 50, clamping the wrap threads wlth the requi-.

. said felt strip to the, top of the screw site tightness or firmness between the bar 50 and strip 52.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown a modified form of selecting screw wherein there is provided a strip 55 of felt or similar substance set in agroove formed in the screw portion 15 of thcselcctor in such manner that the will be brought substantially when it" stops in its intermittent rotary movements. This con struction provides enhanced frictional properties to the screw on the line of the felt strip so. that in the rotation of the screw the felt will operate. with a tendency to stroke or comb out the entanglements or crossed threads, and, when the screw stops, to hold the warp threads against being pulled out of their tension holding clamp and off the screw.

In Figs. 9 and'lO I have shown a modified form of selector wherein the flutes or grooves of the tapered portion 16 of the selector are continued and extended through out the plain cvlindrical portion 21 thereof,

. modified selector and the operatives position.

One of them being further prolonged :hrough the screw'or.threaded portion of the selector.

his groove-may be employed alone, or a or plate'56 may be set in the longitudinal center of the said groove over which the threads may pass. mation of the. selector, instead of being formed by flutes or groovcs,'may be formed as indicated. in Fig. 11,,by setting suitable strips 57 of metal in the tapered or cylindrical portion of the selector,,the longitudinal outer edges of the said strips conforming substantially to the longitudinal preparatory stroking surfaces indicated in Fig. 9.

In Fig. 8 I have indicated a slightly mounting for the selector screw. As therein showm'the work of the operative is facilitated bythe location of a magnify-' ing glass 58 indicated in dotted lines directly in front of the selector or between tflhe is enables the operative to see the-selecting action moredistinctly and better enables him to watch the progress of the work and stop .the machine if necessary in time to makev any neededcorrection, 'or remedy any appreaching inaccuracy? before the trouble reaches the drawing-in needle. In the construction' shown in Fig. 8 the arm 24, which I devices,

' regulates the slope of the threads with relation to the selecting screw, vhas a thread engaging end in the form of a hooked rod 59.

Claims;

1. In a warp thread selecting mechanism, a traversing warp-thread feed-screw proannular shoulder at the end videdwith an toward the unselected threads, warp-holding and means to hold back. the unselected'warp-threads to a. point in a plane The ribs or stroking for-..

. and

warp-threads and hold them back to apoint' to a point in a plane substantially coincident with the thread engaging end of said screw, for the purpose described. I

3. In a warp-drawing machine, a drawing-in needle, a feed-screw to select and separate the warp-threads, whichscrew is automatically traversed relatively toward the undrawn warps, warp-holding devices which hold the warp-threads wrapped partially around said screw toward the selecting end of the feed-screw.

4. In a warp-drawing machine, a drawing-in' needle, -a screw automatically movable toward the undrawn warps to engage and separate thewarp-threads; warp-holding devices which hold the warp-threads wrapped partially around said screw, means to give the warp threads'an even tension before they are engaged by said screw, and an arm to intercept the warp-threads and hold themback to a'point in a plane. substantially coincident with the thread engaging end of the said screw, for the purpose described. 1

5. In a warp thread selecting mechanism,

afeed-screw to select and separate the WHIP:

threads, which screw is "automatically movable toward the undrawn warps, means to put. the warp threads before engagement by saidscreWQand' an under even tension arm to intercept the warps as the screw a proaches and hold them back to a point in a plane substantially coincident with the thread selecting end of the screw, for the purpose described. j

6. In a warp thread selecting mechanism, a warp-thread feed-screw, means to put the warp-threads which are to be successively acted upon by the screw under even tension, an arm to engage the approaching in a plane substantially coincident with the thread selecting end of said screw, for the purpose specified. In a warp thread selectmg mechanism,

a warp-thread feed-screw, means to give an to the threads to be succeseven tension sively acted upon by the screw, devices for guiding the warp-threads and pressing them upon the feed-screw andan arm to engage the warp-threads thereon and hold them back to the selecting-end of said screw, for the purpose specified.

8; In a machine for acting upon Warp threads, "warp thread" engaging mechanism, a thread-sglecting gnd separating" device ada ted, independently of o'ther selecting mec amsm, to select warp-threads singlyandsuccessiYely from acom act series, and independently of other mec anism to separate and hold separated a plurality of such threads immediately'succeeding each thread presented to the thread engaging mechanism. y i

9. In a machine for acting upon warp threads, a thread-selecting and separating device consisting of a rotatable shaft and a continuous screw-thread upon a portion thereof,. which screw-thread when rotated is. adapted, independently of other selecting mechanism, to select andcngage threads singly and successively from a compact seriesupon said shaft and independently to separate and hold separated a plurality of threads soselected.

10. In a machine for act'ng upon warp threads, the combination wit thread on aging mechanism of :a rotating thread-so ecting and separating device adapted inde pendently and successively to engage and select the warp-threads singly from a-coinpact series and to hold a plurality of them se arated, and thread-clamps which are par al el with the axis of saidoselecting device and are located in positions to hold the 30.

warp-threads partially wrapped about'the separating device, and one of which clamps isadapted' to release the thread ends successively tothe pull of the thread engaging mechanism.

-11. In a machine for acting upon warp threads, the combination with threadcngaging mechanism of thread-selecting and sop arating' mechanism adapted independently to select the threads singly and successively from a compact series and independentlyto separate'and hold separated a plurality of threads immediately succeeding each one engaged by the thread engaging mechanism.

12. In a machine for acting upon warpthreads, the combination of' ashaft provided with a warpthread selecting and separating screw and thread-holding devices which hold the warp-threads partially wrapped about said shaft and screw.

13.111 a machine for acting upon warp' threads, a warp-separating screw, and one .or more longitudinalribsu'pon the shaft adjaeent to the screw to serve as meansto stroke the Warp threads,for the purpose described.

14. A warp-tln'ead feed-screw for a warpdrawing macl'iinc. eonsistina of a frustoconical-portion, a .plain cylindrical portion,

crud a screw-threaded cylindrical port-ion,

substantially as described;

'15. A warp-thread tced screw tor a warpdrawing machine,- consisting of a frusto conical fluted portion, aplain cylindrical,

portion, a screw-threaded cylindrical portion, and a circumferential shoulder upon the latter next the plain cylindrical portion, the face of which shoulder is in a'plane at right angles to the axis of the said cylindrical portions.

1 6. In a mechanism for separating threads singly and successively from a closely arranged series" of unseparated threads, the combination with means to hold the threads distended in substantial parallelism, a rotatable thread-se iarating means arranged transversely the threads,

said means includinga rotatable cylindrical thread-straightening member. about which the distended threads are partly wrapped and including also a rotary cylindrical selecting andseparating member co axial"- \'itl1 and adjacent the st-iaig htenin5, member but of greater diameter than the straightening member, thereby to present a thread abutting edge substantial ly parallel with the threads and against which the edge of the unseparated distended and deflected sheet of threads adapted to lie, saidsclecting and separating member having ahelical groove formed on its surface and opening through said edge thereby to fbrin at said edge a sharp wedge-shaped lip adapted in its movement to intersect the plane of.

threads and select the foremost thread by a slicing action, means to cause relative traverse between the thread-holding means and the scparatingmcans to press the foremost threads against the abutting edge,

'grcater diaiireter thereby to present a thread abutting edge between the twovmembers against which the edge of .the sheet of threads is adapted tojlie. said selcctin'gan'd separating member having a helical groove formed on itssurface and vopenii'ig through said edge to form thereat a wedge shaped lip adapted in its. movement to cut through the plane of the threads and select-the fore, most thread by a slicing uctioluaml means to cause relative movement between the threads and the selecting and separating member to press the foremost .thieads against the abutting edge.

15. In a .warp thread nism, the combination with menus to hold the threadsdistended, a thread abutting member presenting a, wall against which the unseparated, distended threads are adapted selecting mechato lie, a selecting member having a ath of movement definitely related to the a utting member, said path graduall' converging toward and passing througli the sheet of threads, means for moving the selecting member .to select by a slicing action successive threads positioned by the abutting member, and means for causing relative transverse movement between the warp threads and the abutting member to press the foremost threads thereagainst.

19. Ina thread selecting mechanism, the combination with means to hold the threads distended, a movable thread selecting member having an abutting wall against which the edgeof the unseparated, distended threads isadapted to lie, said member also having a selecting edge bearing fixed relation to said wall and having a path of movement gradually converging toward and passing through the sheet of threads, means for moving t e selecting member to select by 'a slicing ac tion successive threads positioned by the abutting wall, and means to cause transverse movement between the selecting member and the threads to press the foremost threads against the abutting'wall.

20. In thread selecting mechanism, the combination with means to hold the threads distended,athread selectin member adapted to turn about an axis, ,a s ouldercd portion on said .selecting member adapted to lie against the edge of the sheet of threads, a selecting-edge also on said member having a path of movement converging toward and passing through the sheet of threads, means to cause relative transverse feeding movement of the selecting member toward the in a. path gradually converging but cutting through the plane of the threads, means for r tating the shaft to select successive threads, and means to cause relative transverse feedingmovement between the threads aud' the selecting shaft.

22. In a thread selectingmechanism, the combination with means to'hold the threads distended, a rotatable selecting and separating member having a. circumferential shouldered portion to prcsent an abutting edge succeeded by a cylindrical portion, sa d cylindrical portion having a helicalgroove forminga wedge-shaped lip in the shoul dared portion, said lip in its movement converging toward and passing through the plane of the threadsto select the foremost thread by slicing action, meanstoturn the cylinder and means to cause relative transverse feeding movement between the threads and the selecting member.

23. Ina warp thread selecting mechanism, the combination with thread holding means to hold the threads distended, a thread contacting body arranged transversely the distended threads to press against and deflect the same, a thread abutting wall against which the edge of the'sheet of unseparated threads is adapted to lie, a selecting member having a path of movement definitely related to the abutting member and gradually converging toward' and passing through the sheet of threads thereby'selecting successive threads by a slicing action, means for moving the selecting member to select successive threads and means for causing relative transverse movement between the 't.hreads'and the abutting -member to press the foremost threads thereagainst. 1

the combination with warp holding clamps to hold the threads unseparated and dis tended, a thread contacting body arranged transversely the distended threads to press against the same, means for moving said body lengthwise the threads todraw the threads in parallelism prior to their separation, a selecting member having-a path of movement converging toward and cutting across the plane of the threads, means for moving the selecting member itofbring the unseparated threads in succession under the direct control thereof and cause said member to select successive threads, and means for causing relative transverse feeding movement between the threads and the selecting member. e

In a-thread selecting mechanism, the combination with thread holding clamps to hold the threads distended, a thread eontacting-body arranged transversely the distended threads, said body comprising a rotatablezmlember by which thesheet of threads is deflected, an abutting member on said rotatable member against which the'edge of the sheet of threads is adapted to lie, means for rotating the rotatable member to draw' the threads into parallelism, means .for selecting successive threads positioned by the abuttingmember, and means for causing relative transverse feeding movement between the threads and'the abutting member.

26. In a thread selecting mechanism, the combination with meansto hold the threads distended, a thread contacting body ar ranged transversely the distended threads to press against the same, and comprising a shaft about which the threads are partly wrapped, a shouldered portion on said sha against which the i foremost threads are adapted tolie, means for rotating said shaft,

means for feeding 'the' same transversely with relation to the sheet of threads and ingtowar'd and passing MA r. selecting -tne ns; for selecting successive threads positioned against said shoulder.

'27-. In a thread seleo'ti .mechanism', the combination with thread "olding means, a cylindrical member ada ted to turn about an axis and against which the threads are pressed tobedeflected thereby, a shouldered portion on'said cylindrical member adapted .to lie against tie edge of the sheet of threads, a selectin member having a path of movement definitely related to the shouldered portion, said path gradually converg-' through the sheet of thread s, and means rturning said cylindrical 1 member. i

28.,In a thread selectingmechanism, the combination with means to hold the threads, a. thread contacting member adapted to lie against and deflect the threads, a shouldered portion'on said contacting member adapted to lie against the ed e of the sheet of threads, a-selecting mem aer having a path of movement definitely related to the shoulderedportion, said path gradually "converging toward and passing through the sheet of threads, means to move the selecting memand the shouldered portion to most threads thereagamst,

, combination with thread selecting means,

means to cause relative feeding movement 3 oombination'witll a rotatab e thersame into parallelism prior to engage her to' select by a slicing action successive threads '(positioned by the shouldered portion, an

verse movement between the warp threads press the fore- 29. In a thread Iecting mechanism the combination with, thread holding means ior hold' a series of threadsfunseparated, a thread so ector and a rotatable thread contactin member arranged transversely the three 5 and pressed against the same to defleet them, means to cause relative feeding movement between the selector and the threads to bring the unsepara'ted threads progressivel under the direct control of the selector, and means for rotatin said contacting member to draw the three s into parallelism rior to their selection. 7

30. -In a t read selecting mechanism, the

between the selector and the'holding means to brin thejunseparated threads directly under 't e'contr'ol of the selector, rotatable means contacting with the threads to draw ment by the selectin .means and means also to tension thethrea 5 prior to selection.

'31. Ina thread selecting mechanism, the combination with thread selecting means acting progressively to directly engage and "select the threads, thread holding means and rotatable thread contacting means to draw the threads into parallelism and tension them prior to engagement by the selecting means.

32. In. a thread selecting mechanism, the

combination with thread selecting means acting progressively to directly engage means for causing relative trans- =ing li and select the threads, thread holding means and rotatable thread contacting means to draw the threads into parallelism and tension them. prior to engagement by the selecting means.

33. The combination with a thread selector of thread holding means and a rotary tapered shaft to place increasing tensionon the threads prior to selection.

34. The combination with threadmeans of thread selecting means andarotatable thread contactin stroking projections or engaging the threads preparatory to separation. a

35. The combination with thread holding means of thread selecting meansand rotary thread stroking means to engage the threads prior to; selection.

36. A thread selector comprising a to tary cylindrical member adapted to press holding member having against the threads and a raised abutting. I

37."'A thread selecting device comprising i a rotatable memberhaving a ta eredportion connecting a portion of sma ler diam eter and a. portion of larger diameter, a raised abutting shoulder on said portion of larger diameter and a helical groove also thereon terminating and forming a selectin said abuttin shoulder.

38. he combination with thread holding means includin a clamp having a yielding tensi0n,'separat1ng means. and a frusto-comcal member contacting with the threads for applying an increasing tension to the threads prior to engagement by the separatin means.

39. n a thread selecting mechanism, the combination with thread selecting means ofa rotatable .thread. straightening member about which the threads are partly'wrapped and acting to straighten the threads prior. .to engagement by said selecting means.

40. In a thread selectin mechanism the i thread straightenlng member, at thread abutting formation thereon against whichthe edge of-the sheet of warp threads ispressed and a .se-. lecting edge carried by S8Jd rotatable memher and havin a path of movement converg- 1n toward an across the sheet of threads to seliect 'by a slicing action the successive threads positioned y said abutting formation. means for holding the threads including a clamp having a iyieldin tension, and means for causing re ative ceding move ment between the thread holding means and the rotatable member.

' 11. A war thread selectin sisting'ofacy indrical thread crtion rovided' with a. shoulder, a. cylin rical p ainscrew "conj threads, the combination with a rotary shaftprovided with warp thread selectin means of warp holding devices for holding the shaft.

war? threads partially wrapped around said sha t, and means engaging the threads for pressing them into-close contact with the 44. In a machine for acting upon warp A threads, the combination with a selecting de vice, a thread contacting member pressed transversely against the sheet of threads to deflect the same and an arm adapted to press transversely against the threads near the point of selection to hold them tightly against the deflecting member.

' 45. The combinatlon with wa thread holding means of a selector rotata 1e about an axis transverse to the warp and thread strokin means movable with the selector.

46. ilhe combination with warp thread holding means of a selector, a rotatable thread contacting member transverse the warp and a strip of frictional material on said contacting member to engage the threads and prepare them for selection.

47. The combination with a warp thread holding means of a rotatable screw selector and a longitudinal f elt strip arranged in the screw for strokin the threads.

In testimony wiereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribin witnesses.

. ILLARD F. FIELD.

Witnesses:

ROBERT H. KAMMLER, E EDNA SPY. 

